Sri Lanka registered their second consecutive 3-0 ODI series win at home as they held their nerve to pull off a thrilling 6-run win over the wounded Windies today in the 3rd and final ODI at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.
The veteran Angelo Mathews, who hit the headlines for regaining his old fitness and form on the field, took Sri Lanka home today with the ball. With Sri Lanka running out of bowlers towards the end due to injuries Mathews had to do the bulk of the death bowling together with Isuru Udana. Sri Lanka’s specialist death bowler Nuwan Pradeep had to walk away from the field during his 5th over holding the back of his left knee.
The tourists required 15 runs off the last over with Fabian Allen in full form having scored 33 off 13 deliveries prior to that over. After putting away the first ball for a boundary, Allen found Kusal Mendis deep down in the mid-wicket region handing Mathews his 4th scalp and making a Windies win quite impossible. With that close finish Mathews completed 10 overs in an ODI after nearly 5 years and also won the man of the match award, purely for his performance with the ball.
After a horrific series, the Caribbean batsmen clicked today as all 4 top order batsman almost reached 50. With Nicholas Pooran and Kieron Pollard batting up the order than usual initially looked like handing West Indies a comfortable win chasing down the 307 made by Sri Lanka. Prior to their free flowing knocks, the Windies opening pair set an excellent platform with 111-run partnership before Nelson struck for Sri Lanka.
Apart from Mathews, Wanindu Hasaranga was once again brilliant with the ball as he has been throughout the series eventually being adjudged man of the series. However, his spin bowling partner Lakshan Sandakan was targeted today by the big hitting West Indians as he went for 31 in just 3 overs.
Early in the day, Sri Lanka’s total of 307 was well contributed by the top order as Mendis lead the way with a stylish half-century. Following Mathews’ 3rd straight failure with the bat, the Lankan lower middle order added much needed impetus to the innings. Dhananjaya De Silva’s 47-ball half-century and Thisara Perera knock of 38 took them closer towards 300 before a cameo by Hasaranga took them past 300.
Alzarri Joseph, who picked up 4 wickets ended the series with 10 wickets, the highest by any bowler of both teams.
The two teams will now face off in 2 T20Is starting on the 4th of this month in the same venue.
Result
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avishka Fernando | c Shai Hope b Alzarri Joseph | 29 | 34 | 5 | 0 | 85.29 |
| Dimuth Karunaratne | c & b Roston Chase | 44 | 54 | 5 | 0 | 81.48 |
| Kusal Perera | c Shai Hope b Kieron Pollard | 44 | 55 | 4 | 0 | 80.00 |
| Kusal Mendis | c Kieron Pollard b Alzarri Joseph | 55 | 48 | 6 | 1 | 114.58 |
| Angelo Mathews | b Sheldon Cottrell, | 12 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 70.59 |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | c Kieron Pollard b Alzarri Joseph | 51 | 47 | 5 | 0 | 108.51 |
| Thisara Perera | c Rovman Powell b Alzarri Joseph | 38 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 122.58 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | b Jason Holder | 16 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 177.78 |
| Isuru Udana | c Kieron Pollard b Jason Holder | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Lakshan Sandakan | run out (Jason Holder) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Nuwan Pradeep | not out | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | 16 (b 0 , lb 9 , nb 0, w 7, pen 0) |
| Total | 307/10 (50 Overs, RR: 6.14) |
| Fall of Wickets | 1-60 (10.2) Avishka Fernando, 2-88 (19.1) Dimuth Karunaratne, 3-177 (31.3) Kusal Perera, 4-185 (32.2) Kusal Mendis, 5-214 (38.1) Angelo Mathews, 6-278 (46.3) Dhananjaya de Silva, 7-293 (48.3) Thisara Perera, 8-306 (49.4) Wanindu Hasaranga, 9-306 (49.5) Lakshan Sandakan, 10-307 (49.6) Isuru Udana, |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheldon Cottrell, | 10 | 1 | 58 | 1 | 5.80 | |
| Jason Holder | 10 | 0 | 68 | 2 | 6.80 | |
| Alzarri Joseph | 10 | 0 | 65 | 4 | 6.50 | |
| Roston Chase | 10 | 0 | 51 | 1 | 5.10 | |
| Hayden Walsh | 3 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 6.67 | |
| Kieron Pollard | 7 | 0 | 36 | 1 | 5.14 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shai Hope | c Kusal Mendis b Isuru Udana | 72 | 88 | 6 | 0 | 81.82 |
| SW Ambris | b Wanindu Hasaranga | 60 | 60 | 6 | 1 | 100.00 |
| Nicholas Pooran | c Dasun Shanaka b Angelo Mathews | 50 | 61 | 3 | 1 | 81.97 |
| Kieron Pollard | c Isuru Udana b Angelo Mathews | 49 | 50 | 6 | 1 | 98.00 |
| Darren Bravo, | run out (Kusal Perera) | 8 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Jason Holder | c Kusal Mendis b Angelo Mathews | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 133.33 |
| Fabian Allen | c Kusal Mendis b Angelo Mathews | 37 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 246.67 |
| Hayden Walsh | run out (Dasun Shanaka) | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Roston Chase | run out (Wanindu Hasaranga) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Alzarri Joseph | not out | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Sheldon Cottrell, | not out | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Extras | 14 (b 3 , lb 2 , nb 0, w 9, pen 0) |
| Total | 301/9 (50 Overs, RR: 6.02) |
| Fall of Wickets | 1-111 (18.3) SW Ambris, 2-171 (30.3) Shai Hope, 3-218 (39.3) Nicholas Pooran, 4-240 (43.4) Darren Bravo,, 5-253 (45.2) Kieron Pollard, 6-275 (47.1) Jason Holder, 7-287 (48.2) Hayden Walsh, 8-294 (48.4) Roston Chase, 9-299 (49.2) Fabian Allen, |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuwan Pradeep | 4.3 | 1 | 22 | 0 | 5.12 | |
| Thisara Perera | 7.3 | 0 | 54 | 0 | 7.40 | |
| Isuru Udana | 10 | 0 | 76 | 1 | 7.60 | |
| Angelo Mathews | 10 | 0 | 59 | 4 | 5.90 | |
| Lakshan Sandakan | 3 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 10.33 | |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | 10 | 0 | 41 | 1 | 4.10 | |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | 5 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 2.60 | |
